Infectious Diseases: Syphilis & the Young

Syphilis continues to increase alarmingly in the U.S., especially among teenagers and young adults. The number of infectious cases newly reported last year, announced the U.S. Public Health Service's Communicable Disease Center, came to 23,000—the highest number since 1950 and a shocking contrast with the low of 6,400 in 1956. Almost half the new cases were among teen-agers and young adults: 3,600 in the 15-19 age group and 6,500 aged 20-24.

The overall 1964 syphilis incidence rate for the U.S. was 12 cases per 100,000, but there were wide local variations. The District of Columbia was the nation's VD capital with a rate of 87. Other high rates: Florida, 36; South Carolina, 35; Georgia, 27; North Carolina, 23. C.D.C. noted that increases reported from a particular area may result partly from better detection and reporting of cases. Mississippi reported a rate of only 16 per 100,000 and Virginia 7; New York reported 21, and Illinois only 11. One state reported none: North Dakota.